Crepe fabrics



United States Patent 3,183,657 CREPE FABRICS Jacques Corbiere, Lyon, France, assignor to Societe Rhodiaceta, Paris, France, a French body corporate No Drawing. Filed May 18, 1961, Ser. No. 110,874 Claims priority, application France, May 20, 1960, 827,801; May 23, 1961, Patent 1,265,369 7 Claims. (Cl. 57-140) This invention relates to crepe fabrics of a novel type and their production.

It is known to make crepe fabrics with yarns of natural or regenerated cellulose, silk or wool.

It is also known to obtain crepe fabrics from synthetic yarns capable of shrinking when heated, including yarns of non-hydroxylated vinyl polymers.

It has now been discovered that it is possible to produce new crepe fabrics by employing as crepe yarns, i.e. yarns producing the crepe, yarns based upon partially acetalised polyvinyl alcohol which have been given a crepe twist of at least 1000 turns per metre and which in their untwisted state do not shrink by more than in water at 100 C. The crepe is produced on fabrics containing these yarns by the action of hot aqueous liquids or vapours.

By partially acetalised polyvinyl alcohol are meant polymers whose chain comprises at least 50% in number of CH CHOH-- units which polymers are acetalised to a sufiicient degree to make them insoluble in water at 100. The acetalising groups may be any of those known in the art, derived for example from formaldehyde or acetaldehyde.

Either the warp or the weft or both may comprise the partially acetalised polyvinyl alcohol yarns, which may make up the whole of the fabric or may be used in association with yarns of another nature such as natural silk, wool, cotton, regenerated cellulose, etc. Some or all of such other yarns may themselves have a crepe twist, especially a twist of at least 1000 turns per metre, or they may have only a low degree of twist.

Fabrics can be obtained in accordance with the invention which are very solid and regular. They are superior to crepe fabrics containing other synthetic or natural fibres, and they have just as good a handle as crepe fabrics formed of natural silk, while having higher wear resistance and higher resistance to photochemical degradation.

The following examples serve to illustrate the invention, but do not limit it in any way.

Example I A fabric was produced in which the warp contained per centimetre 43 natural silk yarns having a crepe twist of 3200 turns per metre, arranged as 2 threads having a Z- twist and 2 threads having an S-twist, and in which the weft contained per centimetre 335 denier 20 filament partially acetalised polyvinyl alcohol yarns, with a crepe twist of 2800 turns per metre arranged as 2 picks of S-twist and 2 picks of Z-twist.

The fabric was thereafter passed through a soap bath at 95 C. for de-sizing.

A fabric having a very regular crepe effect of the order of 40% both in the warp and in the weft was obtained.

If the polyvinyl alcohol yarns employed in the production of this crepe fabric are untwisted and immersed in water at 100 C., they shrink by only 4% and do not become crimped.

Patented May 18, 1965 ice Example II A crepe georgette was constructed entirely of 35 denier, 25 filament, partially acetalised polyvinyl alcohol yarns with a crepe twist of 3000 turns per metre, the warp being made up of 2 threads of S-twist and 2 threads of Z-twist, and the weft of identical threads, with 2 picks of S-twist and 2 picks of Z-twist.

After treatment for half an hour in a boiling de-sizing bath a very regular crepe georgette of-good mechanical strength and having good ironing properties was obtained. Its handle was very silky, but it remained whiter than a similar crepe of natural silk. Inaddition, it was more resistant to wear and storage.

Example III A warp consisting of partially acetalised polyvinyl alcohol, 3 5 denier, 20 filament, 60 turns per metre, was interwoven with weft threads of polyvinyl alcohol crepe twisted with 28:00 turns per metre, using 2 picks with S-twist and 2 picks with Z-twist.

After de-sizing in a soap water bath at C., a very regular satin crepe having a very soft handle was obtained.

I claim:

1. A crepe fabric comprising crepe yarns of an at least partly acetalised polyvinyl alcohol whose chain comprises at least 50% in number of CH CHOH units suflicient of which are acetalised to make said polyvinyl alcohol insoluble in water at C., said yarns having a crepe twist of at least 1000 turns per metre and being composed of fibres which, in their untwisted state, shrink by less than 5% in water.

2. A crepe fabric comprising crepe yarns of an at least partly acetalised polyvinyl alcohol having sufiicient of the -CH CHOH units acetalised to make said polyvinyl alcohol insoluble in water at 100 C., said yarns having a crepe twist of at least 1000 turns per metre and being composed of fibres which, in their untwisted state, shrink by less than 5% in water.

3. A crepe fabric according to claim 1 consisting wholly of said acetalised polyvinyl alcohol crepe yarns.

4. A crepe fabric according to claim 2 consisting wholly of said acetalised polyvinyl alcohol crepe yarns.

5. A crepe fabric according to claim l containing also yarns of a different material.

6. A crepe fabric according to claim 2 containing also yarns of a different material.

7. A crepe fabric according to claim 1 comprising also yarns of a different material having a twist of at least 1000 turns per metre.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,200,134 5/40 Schlock 28l 2,28 8,751 7/42 Shane 28-72 2,516,267 7/50 Sitzler 28-75 FOREIGN PATENTS 5 62,555 7/54 Great Britain. 603,839 6/48 Great Britain.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

DONALD W. PARKER, Examiner. 

1. A CREPE FABRIC COMPRISING CREPE YARNS OF AN AT LEAST PARTLY ACETALISED POLYVINYL ALCOHOL WHOSE CHAIN COMPRISES AT LEAST 50% IN NUMBER OF -CH2-CHOH- UNITS SUFFICIENT OF WHICH ARE ACETALISED TO MAKE SAID POLYVINYL ALCOHOL INSOLUBLE IN WATER AT 100*C., SAID YARNS HAVING A CREPE TWIST OF AT LEAST 1000 TURNS PER METRE AND BEING COMPOSED OF FIBRES WHICH, IN THEIR UNTWISTED STATE, SHRINK BY LESS THAN 5% IN WATER. 